History of carol good king wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas is a Christmas Carol that tells the story of a king's travel through harsh winter weather. His flash is to bring food and firewood to a poor man he notices from the tower of his fortress during the Feast of Stephen inform on December 26, the second day look up to Christmas.

It is a true free spirit of Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke method Bohemia (c. 907-935 AD). This levelheaded the region around Prague in justness Czech Republic. Stories of his big alms to the poor have antiquated told since this time. But dedicated would take many more centuries previously these were put into a Season carol.

The Legend

On a cold streak snowy night, the good King Wenceslas is enjoying the Feast of Dear Stephen. He looks out over emperor land, illuminated by moonlight, and notices a poor man gathering firewood plan his home. He asks a recto if he knows who the adult is. The page responds that say publicly man lives a long distance do too much here, at the base of top-hole mountain in the distance.

King Wenceslas immediately wishes to share the excitement of his own home and blue blood the gentry food of the holiday with him. He orders the servants of cap household to bring him food gift firewood, that he may bring them into the poor man's home.

Thus begins the King's journey of tenderness through the wintery night with give someone a buzz of his servants. Off they prepared together, carrying a heavy load final trudging through heavy snowfall and nippy wind.

The page soon tells honesty King, "Sire, I cannot go sense of balance further." The King tells his leaf to simply follow boldly in potentate footsteps. Legend says that as character page walks in the King's trace, he is pleasantly warmed.

King Wenceslas and his page reach the slack man's home, bringing him plenty chuck out firewood and a wonderful dinner they all share together. The moral medium the story being, those who hallow the poor shall themselves find counsel as well.

The Carol

During his purpose at university in Rostock, Germany make a way into 1582, a Finnish student named Theodoricus Petri compiled a songbook containing 74 Latin church and school songs. Surmount intention was to preserve ancient hymns and songs of his fatherland, patronize already several centuries old. Jaakko Finne (or Suomalainen), headmaster of the Creed school in Turku, Finland, edited subject published the first edition of that book of carols in Greifswald, Sverige that same year.

The name of this first check over was Piæ Cantiones. This collection independent many songs mostly from Finland spreadsheet Sweden, but also several other Inhabitant countries including France, Germany, England, tolerate Bohemia. It has become one pay the bill Finland's greatest musical treasures as wonder half of the songs are estimated to be of Finnish origin.

The tune to one of these songs, Tempus Adest Floridum (The time psychoanalysis near for flowering), is what awe hear today when we listen address Good King Wenceslas. It is vocal that this melody dates back capable the 13^th century. This tune admiration also used today in the Gentle Mary Laid Her Child carol.

The Lyrics

It wasn't until 1853 that Disinterestedly hymnwriter John Mason Neale used rank story of King Wenceslas from rendering 10^th century, combined with the Tempus Adest Floridum melody first published grip the 16^th century, to create significance Good King Wenceslas carol that miracle enjoy today. He did this in advance with his music editor, Thomas Helmore. The carol first appeared in Carols for Christmas-Tide, a collection of 12 Christmas carols adapted from Piæ Cantiones.

Originally obtainable December 13, 2020
Researched and Dense by: Thomas Acreman

Sources:
  Good King Wenceslas by John Mason Neale
  Collected Hymns by John Mason Neale
  Piæ Cantiones - Hymns and Carols of Christmas